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Pets are more than just dogs and cats; they’re members of our families. So when our faithful companion dies, it’s painful and we grieve.

“These animals offer us unconditional love. They don’t betray us. They don’t have an agenda. They are always forgiving and happy to see us. And they’re with us 24/7,” according to the editors of WebMD.

When people close to us die, it’s natural to feel sorrow, express grief and expect those around us to understand what we’re going through. However, when a pet dies, we can’t always count on our peers to understand our heartache. But that doesn’t mean we have to bottle up our emotions.

There are numerous venues available to help pet owners work through their loss - your veterinarian, online chat groups and, of course, friends who are also pet owners.

The loss of the family pet is often a child’s first experience with death. It’s natural to want to protect children from the harsh realities of life and death. But it’s also important to not sugarcoat things. Being honest about what has actually happened to the family pet will go a long way in helping children learn how to cope with death.

Very young children (aged 2-3 years old) typically have no understanding of death and equate it with sleep. At this age, the child needs to be re-assured that he or she did nothing wrong to cause the pet’s death.

Four-to-six year olds have some understanding of death but they don’t always fully comprehend the finality of passing away and believe the animal is asleep or living underground. At this age, children may also think of death as being contagious and fear the demise of others, and themselves, to be imminent.

Older children (aged 7-9 years old) understand the irreversibility of death and become very curious about it and its implications. They may also develop concerns about their parents’ death.

The death of a pet can be particularly difficult for seniors, especially if they were living alone with the pet. Seniors will often feel an overwhelming sense of loss and emptiness. The pet’s death may also trigger painful memories of other loved ones they have lost and further remind them of their own mortality.

Do other pets in the household grieve when their playmate dies? Yes. “Pets observe every change in a household and are bound to notice the absence of a companion,” writes author Moira Anderson Allen. “Pets often form strong attachments to one another and the survivor of such a pair may seem to grieve for its companion.”

Surviving pets may express their grief by whimpering, refusing to eat or drink and by being lethargic. The best thing owners can do for surviving pets is to give them lots of extra TLC.

Are you losing your pets to accidents? Do they wander and never return? Show them that you care. Keep your pets safe from harm with the petsafe wireless instant pet fence pet containment system.

Tags: Pets

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